I've been watching Enter the Dragon on and off for thirty-odd years, and I was surprised the other night to see a scene I have never, ever seen before. It is just after the opening contest and Lee has a long conversation with his master. The same voice comes to Lee in the hall of mirrors scene at the end, which gives a clue as to why he smashes them.

I've been watching Enter the Dragon on and off for thirty-odd years, and I was surprised the other night to see a scene I have never, ever seen before. It is just after the opening contest and Lee has a long conversation with his master. The same voice comes to Lee in the hall of mirrors scene at the end, which gives a clue as to why he smashes them.

Is this a recently restored cut of the film or something?

Yes. Well, not THAT recently.
The master was played by Roy Chiao (as you probably already know)

Yeah he was one of the very best.Possibly the best on-screen fighter there's ever been,and I say that as a massive Jackie Chan fan.You can actually see Bruce Lee fighting in his films.Nowadays there's so many cutaways,and close-ups,it's the editing that makes the fighters look good,not their actual skills or choreography.With Bruce,you could see him in head to foot shots,demonstrating what he could do.

I've been watching Enter the Dragon on and off for thirty-odd years, and I was surprised the other night to see a scene I have never, ever seen before. It is just after the opening contest and Lee has a long conversation with his master. The same voice comes to Lee in the hall of mirrors scene at the end, which gives a clue as to why he smashes them.

Yes. Well, not THAT recently.
The master was played by Roy Chiao (as you probably already know)

The thing I only just found out about Enter the Dragon (which I must have watched a million times!) is that the voice of Han is actually dubbed by Keye Luke (blind Master Po) from Kung Fu which was originally meant to star Lee!

The thing I only just found out about Enter the Dragon (which I must have watched a million times!) is that the voice of Han is actually dubbed by Keye Luke (blind Master Po) from Kung Fu which was originally meant to star Lee!

Talking of Enter the Dragon minutiae, Jim Kelly, who played Williams, died recently. 'Man, you come right out of a comic book!'

Not being funny, but I don't and never have got Bruce Lee. Saying that I've never got the whole Marilyn Munroe and Elvis thing either.

Bruce Lee is age specific. If you ask anyone under 30 who Bruce Lee is and they wouldn't have a clue. There are bigger names in coinema that are now largely forgotten. People like John Wayne, James Stewart, Gene Kelly who were bigger film stars than Bruce Lee.
If you stop people on the streets and say martial arts to people, more people think of Jackie Chan than Bruce Lee.

If Bruce hadn't have died so young would he be as popular and this so called legend? There comes a point when people stop caring. In the 80's It was all Chuck Norris this, Chuck Norris that.... then he got old and it looked silly and stupid. If Bruce hadn't of died, IMO he too would have very quickly got the same treatment. A few years of wow this is amazing, then it would start to all look the same, he is getting older, it's getting silly. Good luck doing the conventions sigining for people who used to watch you when they were a kid.

It's sad that he dies so young, but career wise is was good for him as it made him into something more than he actually was or would ever be. He became a legend and not an old actor from times gone by that younger people haven't heard of or even care about.

Fist of Fury IS a great film.
I love the fight in the Japanese garden with Robert Baker (the Russian Karate expert)

I agree, the Japanese dojo fight is a classic too
"This time you're eating paper, next time its gonna be glass"

In some ways I found ETD a bit cheesy (the plot rips off Dr. No) but its a fine film Bruce's scenes (particularly the underground fight) are superb, a classic opening and finale, memorable theme tune, and Jim Kelly was charismatic in the film too.

I love a lot of Jackie Chan's 70s-90's stuff and even going into the 2000's, I think he was at his peak in the 80's/90's with classics like the Police Story films and Drunken Master 2

My nephews range from 33 downwards and none of them have heard of him, likely because like me they don't like martial arts films.
Let's face it Bruce's name doesn't come up much when greatest names in films are discussed.
In a general film stars hall of fame, he would be a long way down the list to get inducted, where as Marilyn would be done much quicker. I would be surprised if Bruce was in the first 100 names.

He has his fans that love his films and that is cool, I was just saying I just dont get the whole thing around him and wonder if he hadn't have died young would he still be as popular and seen the way he is?

Bruce made a few films that were good if you like that kind of thing, he never got to have a longer career and make the not so good ones that made made him look less special.
In the 80's Stallone was a huge name. In the 90's he made some terrible films and that affected how he was seen and by his own admission wrecked his career and the phone wasn't ringing so much.
If Arnie hadn't have gone into politics and had carried on making shite like Twins and Kindergarten Cop and other crap comedies, would he be seen the same way?

Elvis got old, fat and he wasn't seen the same way. Marilyn like Bruce never got old and thus like Bruce her legend is built on a short period of time when they were at their peak.

In martial arts cinema at least, Bruce is a legend. Yes Elvis got old and fat gorging on burgers, but that doesnt stop people calling him the King or diminishing the quality of his work/performing when he was younger - hell even when he was older after the Comeback Special he was a great performer.
If Bruce had been alive who knows if he'd still gone onto make more films or not? I think whats telling is how many people Bruce inspired, directly or indirectly. He considered himself a martial artist first and an 'actor' second (he said he didnt like the word 'superstar' etc).
You're right though he died very young, in 1973 he was at the height of his powers, I cant imagine Bruce being old.

Not being funny, but I don't and never have got Bruce Lee. Saying that I've never got the whole Marilyn Munroe and Elvis thing either.

Bruce Lee is age specific. If you ask anyone under 30 who Bruce Lee is and they wouldn't have a clue. There are bigger names in coinema that are now largely forgotten. People like John Wayne, James Stewart, Gene Kelly who were bigger film stars than Bruce Lee.
If you stop people on the streets and say martial arts to people, more people think of Jackie Chan than Bruce Lee.

If Bruce hadn't have died so young would he be as popular and this so called legend? There comes a point when people stop caring. In the 80's It was all Chuck Norris this, Chuck Norris that.... then he got old and it looked silly and stupid. If Bruce hadn't of died, IMO he too would have very quickly got the same treatment. A few years of wow this is amazing, then it would start to all look the same, he is getting older, it's getting silly. Good luck doing the conventions sigining for people who used to watch you when they were a kid.

It's sad that he dies so young, but career wise is was good for him as it made him into something more than he actually was or would ever be. He became a legend and not an old actor from times gone by that younger people haven't heard of or even care about.

I agree with you about Marilyn.She was a poor actress and singer IMO,just idolised because of her so-called sex appeal.I'm an Elvis fan,I thought he had a good voice but probably wouldn't be so revered if he didn't have the looks.He didn't even write his own songs.At the same time,he was able to use his sex appeal to break down the barriers and bring black music into the mainstream.So I'm kind of torn with the amount of praise he gets.But I do think Bruce Lee deserves all his praise.He was the first Chinese movie star.He brought Kung Fu into pop culture.He created his own fighting style Jeet Kunde Do,combining all forms of martial arts,which he taught many people.Like I said in a previous post,I'm a huge fan of Jacke Chan,but Lee broke the barriers for other Chinese stars like him to follow.Alot of trail blazers are overrated,but I don't believe he is.His films have dated very badly,but his fighting skills are still superior to many that have followed since.The likes of Chuck Norris,Jean Claude Van Damme and such,pale in comparison IMO.

If theyre dated in any way thats because of the style of filmmaking in HK at the time, not Bruce himself imo. For example compare the fights with other characters in The Big Boss or Fist of Fury to Bruce's own fights. Without Bruce everyone does that "swingy arm, swingy leg" style of fighting until someone falls over, but Bruce's own fights are far better and a revelation. And I think he showed he was a good actor.

I love the Chuck Norris fight in Way of the Dragon. Especially the way it is in two halves.
The first half has Bruce sticking to the 'classical' way of fighting and he is getting beaten. Then he changes and does his fluid, non classical method and he takes Norris apart. In the end, Norris refuses to give up, although he has a badly injured (broken) knee and shoulder/ arm. In a desperate attempt to carry on fighting, he falls into Bruce, who puts him in a headlock, then reluctantly kills him.
Finally, in a mark of respect from one master to another, Bruce drapes Norris' gi jacket over his body and places his belt across his chest.